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The Detroit Lions have had one of the best seasons in franchise history this season. Entering Week 18, Dan Campbell and company are sitting at 14-2 and have a home game on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings with the NFC North title and the No. 1 seed on the line.
The Lions have continued to win despite a ton of injuries to their defense that have wiped out a majority of their starters. Most of the Lions' impact players on that side of the ball have either missed significant time or are out for the season, and that unit has suffered as a result. However, the offense has picked up the slack, and now they have some NFL history to show for it.
Running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown have all eclipsed 1,000 yards this season, making the Lions the first team in NFL history to have a pair of running backs and a wideout reach that milestone, per Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team. And for all of you asterisk lovers, all three of them hit that marker in just 16 games.
Montgomery is one of those players that has been bitten by the injury bug, as a knee injury has likely taken him out for the rest of the season. However, Gibbs and St. Brown are still ultra-productive and are two of the best weapons in the NFL, and they give the Lions a puncher's chance in any game.
Lions fighting for 1-seed against Vikings
The biggest game of the NFL regular season will be the last one. When the Lions and Vikings face off in Detroit on Sunday night, home-field advantage through the NFC playoffs and a first round bye is on the line.
The Lions pulled out the first meeting between the two teams in a 31-29 thriller in Minnesota, but the Vikings are one of the hottest teams in football. Minnesota destroyed another playoff team, the Green Bay Packers, on Sunday before the Packers came back to make the final score close at the end.
In order to get the win in this one, the Lions have to figure out a solution on defense. Aaron Glenn's unit has not been playing very well since suffering a ton of injuries, and some of the better offenses in the league have been able to gash this defense lately. On Monday night, the San Francisco 49ers had a ton of success moving the ball for most of the night in a 40-34 Lions win.
When you have a reeling defense, the Vikings aren't the team you want to see. Kevin O'Connell, Sam Darnold and company have been cruising, and Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison form one of the most fearsome wide receiver duos in football. O'Connell can scheme up good looks against just about anybody, and this Lions defense is one of the most vulnerable units among the top contenders right now.
